THE PHILIPPINES

With the twin global gaming centres of Macau and Las Vegas bleeding millions of dollars daily as casinos stand empty, the much smaller online gaming industry in the Philippines was supposed to benefit as gamblers logged into live-streamed betting sites. Instead, the US$8-billion gaming industry is also fighting for survival, with stark consequences for the country’s property and retail sectors. After being shuttered for months as they were considered “unessential” during the Civid lockdown, online casinos can still only operate partially. Already, two of the 60 licensed operators in what had been a robust industry have closed since the pandemic began.